


A Feathery Halloween

by AwatereJones



Series: Feather Verse [4]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: F/M, Fun, Gen, Halloween, Love, M/M, Silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-27
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-08 12:46:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16429688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwatereJones/pseuds/AwatereJones
Summary: Hollow-seen is the Candy God's birthday and the time of the Candy Killer is here but the hollowed out punpkin head of Jaquiline must protect them and their candies. Owen's excitement is catching but how far will they take the madness? Love my crumbly cakes xxx





	1. 28th October

 

"Hollow-seen?"

"Yeah Hollow-seen." Melly smiled knowingly as she plucked the little fluff up for a pat "It's something to do with All Hollowed Out Evening, like … a special time of year where the Candy God was born or something. The hollowed out pumpkin head things might have been full of candy in the beginning before we got civilised or something."

"Ahhhhhh" little heads nodded.

"You see …. There is a bad man who wears scary masks and he sneaks around trying to steal your candy. Some people are so scared they give away the candy before they go to bed so he will not come and kill them" she went on to explain as Germ settled next to her "That's why we make Jack-her-Lanterns every year. They were his wife. She was called Jacqueline and so scary that he ran away to become so naughty. We put the Jack-Her-Lanterns out and he is too scared to come kill us and steal our candy in case it is really her."

"So … the ghosts and skeletons are the Candy Killers she had destroyed with her fiery breath?" Todd asked with wide kitty eyes.

"Yes" Melly nodded calmly in agreement "You see … we have to be careful. Vigilant. Like the red dot monster … the Hollow-Seen Candy God can be evil too. He sends his evil zombies to try to catch out the candy killer. That's why when we trick-or-treat we dress up. So they think it's one of their own kind and do not attack us for having candy."

"Ahhhhhhhh"

"And her spiders are important too" Germ chimed in, "They make nets."

"Of course"

Little heads nodded at the logic.

"So, we have to play the game. We dress scary, chase away the bad things in the darkness and hollow out the pumpkin head so she can be seen protecting us" Melly finished and little heads all nodded solemnly.

"But I's too smawls" a little one wailed.

"You could do a watermelon I guess" Germ offered, "a little one you could even fit inside to make scary noises."

"OOOOOOOOOO"

Eyes were wide as they all thought about that, little Mervin liking the sound of that and nodding enthusiastically as Pop-pop entered the room with some foodage.

"What are my little ones talking about now?" he asked happily.

"Hollow-Seen."

"Ah. Halloween. Yes. Gotta get that candy sorted, I think I know where the skull bowls are" Ianto muttered to himself as he pondered the decorations in the attic.

"Can we help Pop-pop? We wants to!"

Little voices all yelled and cried with excitement and Ianto lit up at the thought of a real adventure.

"Tell you what … we can make a real thing of it. How about we get the boxes out and someone go get Uncle Owen. We can't' do it without the mental one, he loves this time of year. More than Christmas I think. He likes to dress as Death. Has the outfit and even a big sickle too."

"What's that?"

"Death's staff, sword thing he cuts your head off with" Germ said knowledgably, "I wanna be a ghosty."

"You would make a lovely ghost, you make scary noises so wonderfully" Ianto gushed as he kissed the little fuzzy head, delighted to see another ghost in the making. Rem loved being a ghost and scaring his sister "I think I might be a vampire. I do like those teeth."

"What does Grampy go as?"

"Well … I think he wants to do something with bubba. I don't know, he is being giggly and secretive with his costume. I think Uncle Owen is helping him make something cool. Valentine is helping him too. I do know what Feather is going as. What he always goes as."

"What?" they all asked eagerly.

"A pirate of course. A bad pirate like Jack Sparrow. Has a really cool outfit" Ianto laughed softly, "Milo always goes as a shark and pretends to be trying to eat him. They do this whole stalking thing where they play all evening. Milo is a very convincing shark for a Kat. Humming the Jaws music."

"I like Uncle Milo, his purr is pretty" Cinnamon said with a wistful look, "He is so handsome."

"Not as handsome as my Jack. But then … he is exceptional" Ianto sighed theatrically and a little squeak had them all turning to see Jack hovering in the doorway, the baby asleep on his chest like a little coruscation.

They ran to him with little begging sounds so he knelt for them to all smell the baby and chirp happily. Dylan was very loved and they all wanted a turn to rub against the bump on Grampy's chest.

Dylan was snoring softly as Jack eased himself into a chair and grinned over at Ianto, "Whatcha doing good looking?"

"It's almost Halloween and they want to do the decorations. I can't' believe I almost forgot. Owen definitely has, he will be beside himself." Ianto smiled as Owen came running across the playground, slamming into the closed sliding door before opening it and falling in.

"Halloween. It's Halloween, what didn't anyone bloody tell me?"

"I forgot. Want to help get the decorations from the attic next door at the old place?" Ianto asked and Owen whooped as he raced across to Rem's and up the stairs ahead of him, already gushing about ideas for things to do.

The fluffs all swarmed at the bottom of the stairs waiting for the fun to begin.

With Uncle Owen on board, it would be epic!


	2. planting seeds of imagination... and feet

29th

Owen had worked all afternoon, others joining in and then calling time but Ianto had rallied him towards the end with a box of thing he had found from the Hub.

Fake limbs. Owen was now so excited as he turned the sand pit into quicksand, sniggering in the morning light as he knelt to jam another foot into the sand to is looked like someone was swallowed up to their ankles, two feet soles up towards the sun.

So much spider webbing Ianto had to remind himself to warn Jack before he ran through it all and spoiled the effect the littlies were so excited about. Feather had arrived with Milo to help out and this morning they were going to help the littlies make decorations and do some pumpkin carving.

Ianto had been surprised to see whole watermelons on the shopping list but knew whatever it was, it would be interesting to watch so he strapped his son onto his chest, kissed Netty goodbye as she watched over the fluffs and let her sister-wife have a snuggle with Rem.

Ianto reached the store and waved to those who knew him, relenting as he let them snatch Dylan from him to coo and cuddle so he could shop in the peaceful quiet of a childless morning. He walked about gathering necessary food and extra the babies had no idea about, things he had seen on that wonderful Pintrest page he snuck onto when Jack wasn't looking.

So many things he could do.

He returned to the Manager's Office to find Dylan had not only been changed and fed a bottle from his nappy bag, there were also some new items in the bag that he scolded about without any venom, knowing they all loved the tiny fella with his huge blue eyes and gummy smile. Already a heartbreaker like his Daddy, it seems.

Not that Ianto minds.

His heart belongs to him too.

They headed home to find the huge coffin being placed at the gate to the garden path leading to the front door. It was one you had to walk through to enter the place of doom apparently, several fluffs dancing about as Owen and Valentine argued about placement. Ianto canted his head as he took in all the signs pointing to their house like someone half blind might miss the fact they were open to trick-or-treaters.

Rhys wandered past with his wide girth filling the coffin the others were still securing and Ianto got to see the entire thing move with the man as Gwen stood with a look of annoyance.

"Rhys! I told you it was time to cut back on the pasties Pet" she scolded and he turned to face her … coffin and all swinging as he glared at her.

"Why? Want a nice skinny coffin?" he snarled, "I like me pasties. Gods woman, leave a man alone!"

He then stropped to the front steps where they finally managed to pull the coffin off him then stand with a look of sorrow that their cool coffin might be unable to be used, especially as Rhys was coming around on the night for the movie marathon and trick-or-treating.

"Why not put it in the playground? We can put some spook lighting on it with garden lights then, like … get some of the fog machines out and make the entire place spooky." Ianto said quickly to fix the problem and the squeals of glee were deafening as Owen flapped his hands and ran in a small circle yelling 'fog' over and over again like it was attacking him.

Ianto shook his head as he started to carry bags in, Rhys rushing to help and peek with excitement.

"I hope there is fruit in there too" Gwen called out as she glared at Rhys.

"Don't' worry Gwen, plenty for you" Ianto replied calmly, Rhys laughing softly at the little Tiger Snark as Ianto defended his tubby friend, not Rhys' fault he had packed it on. Getting on in years ya know, his knees were buggered a well as his hips. All that footy and pies and years behind a wheel hadn't helped him and he knew full well he was overweight. Something he had spoken to Ianto about with genuine sorrow. Gods she liked to needle the poor man.

"Come on Teddy Bear" Ianto pouted as he looked at his friend, "Come help me make some brains and guts."

"YAY!" Rhys yelled as he followed Ianto inside and the kits looked up at their Uncle Feather who had been listening at the side of the house with them.

"Bwains?"

"Gutsys?"

"Yes. We eat guts and brains and fingers and toes and ….. EARS!" he roared, chasing them as they screamed with glee and excitement, all racing along with their tails up in the air as if aerials for remote control madness.

Ianto watched his special boy out the window of the kitchen sink as Feather fell, was swarmed and tickled mercilessly.

Ianto was so glad he was home.


	3. 30th ... the EVE

Feather and Milo had made a huge nest in the main area of Ianto and Jack's warehouse, full of fluffs, a few dogs and a skeleton one of the fluffs was worried about being too skinny and cold on the outer edge. Ianto's red PJs were on it as well as a woolly hat, it looked like a dead and wasted away Santa. Yeah. I know. The imagination is strong in this batch as Autumn had finally realised the best way to raise her kits is to give them to her Pop-pop and stop being a bitch about it.

She was currently sitting on the edge of the nest as one of her toms rubbed against Feather and yawned, waking to the morning madness. She had enjoyed staying overnight, the other Tom in the kitchen with Ianto as Andy had been more than excited to mind the farm for a few days. Seems he had a bit of a crush on a febbitron. Jack had winked and whispered about tentacles before Andy had shivered in such a way that she really didn't want to know what those creatures hid under their many layers of clothes. Those two men seemed for too enamoured with their thoughts. Burp and Sushi had come across from Owen and Tosh's also wanting cuddles. Seems those two were inseparable these days.

"Daddy!"

Jack was rising to run for the kitchen as Ianto had a meltdown, maple syrup on his onesie and he crooned as he helped wipe it, "Go change love. We can wash it while it's still sticky, yeah? How about that alien one. The kits might like that, it's kinda spooky with those wobbly eye stalks."

Ianto smiled as he leaned in for another kiss, then raced off as Jack clucked at the little baby in his arms, "See that? Tadda is going to have fun. Yeah, I can't' wait to see you running around with Melly and Germ. I bet you will be so naughty, making your Taddy laugh."

"Grampy?"

Jack looked up from his son and his face softened as Feather entered, his lithe smaller stature reminding him of Owen these days, the same little man syndrome making the Kat try to fill the room as he leaned back against the counter. He seemed to be considering then he sad softy, "Milo and I wanna come home for good. We've agreed to start our family now."

"Oh my, really? Are you ready for this? I thought you two were so settled in your jobs" Jack tried not to gush with excitement, knowing Ianto would be beside himself to have the fluffer back. This would mean they were all home, Valentine and his lovely wife also settled and Ianto had one more problem he was skirting around. Katylyn and her little kit. Ianto wanted them here too, the pain of having her live with her Tom in their little apartment across town was really burning his chaps. Jack saw a talk in the future with young James.

"But it already has some!" a little wail brought Jack back to the present and he walked outside to see an argument brewing amongst the 'tigers' and 'panthers' as they tugged a plastic tombstone back and forth between them.

"What's this now?" he asked softly, little heads turning with expressions of annoyance, all talking at once.

"What! No manners?" he asked as he sat, adjusting the baby in the front pack.

"I wanna go to the corner!" Gerty wailed, pointing with a paw and her brother Goober made a face, the one that gave him the nickname as he bugged his eyes out at her sarcastically.

"It's a real one! There is preciousness in there!" he sneered, "We can't make fun of a real gravery place."

"Ah. I see. You want to make the memorial garden a spooky place? Goo…er … Godfrey is right. Pop-pop might get upset if he thought you were laughing at the little ones we've lost" Jack said gently, "I know what you could do though. You could do some paper flowers in orange and black to put on the graves. Give them a party too?"

The fluffs agreed running off to do just that as Jack sat back and pondered what to do about his Punky and her Tom. The baby was beyond sweet, her pregnancy not without problems but it was a relief to find that both baby and kat had been healthy. Little Kai was beyond perfect with his little black face splotched with a white spot above one eye. Not a love heart but a perfectly round spot that had the kits all intrigued. His tiny mouth was always smiling as he mewled for attention, getting it instantly as his Taddy showed himself to be a dotting Tom.

"Daddy?"

Jack looked up and watched his beloved bounce into the garden past him, his outfit making the babies scream with glee as he made silly squeaking and twerping noises, an Alien complete with three eyes blinking on his head.

Jack laughed and rose, feeling hands reaching around him and he relinquished the baby to Autumn who had arrived outside silently, like a bloody wraith she had not only seized his child but released the clowder she had brought out of the nest with her. Kits poured like fluffy, mad wild water into the garden and soon there were little ones flying through the air attacking things and generally causing chaos as the larger ones alternated between scolding and joining on. The climbing wall was a favourite, Burp also with that lovely blue fur so lovely to snuggle against.

Jack smiled and knew Ianto would soon see the baby in her arms and rush to seize both the bub and her in an embrace.

He rose to call Katylyn.

She needed to fill the only hole left.

Her place in the nest.


	4. 31st

Ianto had woken to chaos, the nest heaving as the kits screamed with glee. Now it was later afternoon after a day of games and movies, the costumes coming out. Jack didn't know how Ianto could possibly think of so many different outfits for so many kits but he did, even having a few spare just in case.

Foodage had been exciting for all concerned as he and Rhys showed their hard work with fingers from carrots, guts made from jelly and brains that were actually meringue cleverly piped over itself on squiggles and then let rise into a weird ball.

The Kits had excitedly carved pumpkins, watermelons, grapefruit and even grapes with little claws as thy giggled and whispered, whickers flicking with glee. Whatever they were cooking up, it was going to be epic. Owen was so excited he kept squeezing Burp until Hr squealed.

The door opened and Katylyn entered, her Kitty in her arms and Ianto went into overdrive, his hands flapping as he squealed quietly. She knew the best thing to do was simply relinquish ownership to avoid a meltdown, thrusting the bundle at him and heading for Jack who would fill the void with the other little bundle of brilliance.

"Hey Dyls" she crooned as she folded back the blanket and then screamed as the carved grapefruit rolled out. They all screamed and laughed as Ianto crooned and comforted the Kit, Dylan still asleep but restless in the chaos in Rem's arms in the corner. Kai snuffled and sighed happily. Of course his Pop-pop made it all good again and he snored softly as Jack got the real bub off Rem for his little Punky before she blew a fuse at the scare. She always did get angry when shocked, something Rem watched with interest. Autumn in her mannerisms.

"So, ready?" he finally asked, "My girls are staying home with the youngers, a bit scared of the entire thing. Next year they might want to join."

"I have my Steampunk outfit to get change into as soon as Kai is settled with Aunty Auty" she replied pleasantly, autumn pleased to hear it and happy to remain home for the privilege. Of course they all thought it meant Dylan was staying as well, all gaping as Jack appeared from nowhere in his outfit, the baby now facing forwards in the pack as he snoozed.

Jack had a t-shirt on and had cut holes for the baby's head and limbs, then painted blood like the baby was bursting from his chest. Ianto frowned as he saw the little baby also had a very interesting hat that was meant to look like a baby alien .. as in Ripley's one, not a cute one like Ianto had been dressed as.

"That had better be an old shirt mister" he pointed with that danger finger that had the kits all gaping, not used to seeing Grampy scolded with the finger of doom.

"Got it just for this Tiger" Jack replied easily, the baby snorting and then settling again, "so?"

"Well … yes. Yes. OK, I'll change now."

Ianto went up as more got ready when he came down and the place erupted with excitement as he stood in the boots, trousers, belt, braces …. Great Coat … you get the idea. The shit-eating grin to finish it off was very shiny and Jack blinked as he saw a parody of himself.

"Pop-pop, best one ever!" Rem spluttered as he tried not to laugh too much, one of his own kits asleep in a sling on his chest, the other one in with it wide awake with huge green eyes staring at Pop-pop with interest. The twins were very loved and Rem had found that he was indeed a good Taddy.

"OK, Trick or Treat" Ianto clapped his hands and they all raced to get ready, determined to save the neighbourhood from the candy Killer by taking that dreaded candy and setting their dastardly trap. Chester groaned as he settled in to the line-up, the pug made up like a racecourse with one of the littlies on top as a jokey. Eddie was another Rem in the making, complete with yowl of glee as he clung on to the little dog for dear life.

As they went from house to house Burp got more into character as Cookie Monster, even speaking in a weird growly voice that made everyone giggle. Sushi was better at the curtsey in her pretty little princess gown but Melly in her evil clown get-up was scary I must say.

Germ, was a ghost, Ianto eyeing the sheet he was sure was part of the good set, too late to do anything with the eyeholes already cut but Jack knew there would be a search and muttering later before a scolding for letting the baby destroy a perfectly good sheet.

Jack didn't care. He would simply pout and hand the baby over.

Heh heh.

They headed out for an amazing evening.

Even if the kits were acting a bit strange.


	5. 31st evening

 

They had returned home and all pilled their sweets onto the tablecloth laid out in the centre of the room. Ianto sat with Val and Feather going through the candy, removing such things not good for kits and then declaring it all good to eat.

This is where things got weird.

They all scooped the candy up, not into their buckets but into the Jack-o-lanterns the kept calling Jackie. Jack thought it was cute and sat giggling as he watched them struggle with the candy filled pumpkins, taking them to their nest and the putting them all around it in a circle. With close to twenty fluffs in total, this was a mammoth effort.

"Is this so they can have midnight snacks?" Ianto pondered as he patted Dylan's' little nappy bum in an attempt to soothe, the fella not happy he had been taken from the front pack he loved so much. Apparently like his Dadda, he likes speed.

"Pop-pop?" a little voice called out, "Can I gets a boo-nana?"

Ianto smiled as he lifted a 'boo-nana' off the plate, the banana dipped in white chocolate and decorated with icing eyes was a hit and he held the ice block stick so the little one could feast happily, Dylan finally settling to snooze in Ianto's arms while Jack devoured some boo-nanas too.

"OK I give up" Owen finally said as he and Valentine seemed to stall out over the brains, "How the hell did you get this?"

"I made some jelly, waited for it go start to thicken then poured it into a bunch of straws all rubbberbanded together. Once it set I carefully picked up the straws, shaking as I went and the jelly slid out into the long spaghetti like brains."

"The pumpkins don't have brains" a little voice said softly, "What if we put brains in one. Will to be extra scary to the Candy monster?"

"Candy… ah. Come on, tell me what this is all about" Jack settled on the edge of the nest to listen to the great story of hollow-seen. When the kits finished he sat with a strange thing happening into his face. It was contorting like he might vomit or something.

"See? His brain can't take it" Grover sighed theatrically, "He's gonna blow."

'Finally Jack couldn't hold it in and he started to laugh as he tried to tell everyone what the going through the mad little fluff's minds. Ianto rolled his eyes as Feather decided to take charge, Milo no help as he shot off outside where his yowls of laugher echoed back through the open doors.

"According to an oft-repeated tale the jack-o'-lantern took its name from a roguish Irishman known as Stingy Jack, who tricked the Devil into guaranteeing that he wouldn't go to hell for his many and various sins." Feather explained patiently as the babies hung on his every word "When Jack died, however, he found to his dismay that the arrangement had also barred him from heaven, so he went down below, banged on the gates of hell, and demanded his due from the Devil. Wouldn't you know it, though the latter did keep his promise to save Jack from depths of Hades, he did so by dooming him to wander the surface of the earth for all eternity with only an ember of hellfire to light his way? Thenceforth, according to legend, Stingy Jack was known by the name of Jack O'Lantern."

Jack blinked as he glanced at Ianto, his head canted as he listened and caught the 'eternity' part, then grimaced.

"Was turnips" Rhys suddenly joined the conversation, "the children would carry a carved out turnip with the candle inside to light their way while banging in doors for treats."

"Yesh, but why the candies Unca Weese?"

Back in the 1950s and 1960s, kids could expect to get nuts, coins, or toys from certain houses, and if they did get a sweet treat, it was typically a home-baked good. But as trick-or-treating grew in popularity, the economic and ease factors of candy began to make it the more popular giveaway." he explained "Busy mums liked candy as a giveaway because it was pre-made and pre-packaged; also, it was easy to buy in bulk. And by the 1970s, candy was pretty much the sole thing given out on Halloween. The candy companies realised it was good for business and pushed it like a drug."

"And before you ask, we dress up to honour the dead. Originally All Saint's Day was to honour saints. Dead people who were super good" Jack sighed softly as Dylan burped loudly, "Bum. He got a bit windy from out there love?"

"He's OK" Ianto assured him happily.

"So … dead people?"

"All Saint's Eve or All Hallowed Eve. Where Halloween came from is that. A celebration of the harvest, those who died during the season and it is like .. stomping the ghost I guess. Chasing away the bad ju-ju for a better harvest next year." Milo was a surprise entrant in the story telling as he leaned in and smiled softly a the fluffs, "As far as I know … it is about celebration, not killing."

"So … no one is gonna steal the candy?" Rupert lit up as did his clowdermates, a sea of little faces looking up at Feather and he felt something inside shift with affection, the smallest one holding a wrapped candy protectively, just in case.

"You are all safe, the candy is safe and us Grups will never let a monster come in here after you, OK?" he promised, "sweetling. Lovely little dumpling bums."

Feather slid into the nest and was quickly absorbed by the seething mass of fur, Milo considering before joining his mate and Ianto knew what the hesitation was. He finally glanced over at Ianto and smiled before he carefully slid in behind Milo to enjoy little paws and noses.

They had been talking a lot about it, Ianto had felt it and knew it was time.

Feather and Milo wanted their own.

.

.

..

Happy Halloween everyone, so ends this segment. Christmas next, OK?


End file.
